Improvement in mechanisms for a reed-organ swell



M. J. KERIGAN.

Improvement in Mechanism for Reed Organ SweHs. No. 122,257. Hal PatentedDec.26,1871.

laumrg wj UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL J. KERIGAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MECHANISMS FOR A REED-ORGAN SWELL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,257, dated December 26, 1871.

To all persons to whom these presents may come Be it known that LMicnAnL J. KERIGAN, of Boston, of the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Mech anism for Operating the Swell of at Reed Organ; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawing, of which Figure l is a top view 5 Fig. 2, a front elevation Fig. 3, a horizontal section; and Fig. l, a transverse'section of areed-organ case and swell provided with my invention.

The purpose of my improvement is to enable the operative or knee lever of the swell to be adjusted so as to be convenient for being actuated by a person, whatever may be the length of his thigh-an individual having a short thigh requiring the lever to be drawn out more than a person having a long thigh.

In the drawing, A denotes the swell of ordinary construction; B, the reed-organ case 5 O, the spring for returning the swell to its seat 5 D, the bell-crank or bent lever for operating or raising the swell, the pivots of such lever being shown at a a. An arm, E, arranged as shown, and to swing horizontally on a pivot, b, has a bar, F, pivoted to it and the crank-arm c of the part D, the same being so that when the arm E is moved laterally in one direction on its pivot the bar F shall be moved and caused to turn the bell-crank or bent lever D so as to raise the swell. Alongside of the arm E is an auxiliary or knee-lever, G, which is slotted, as shown at d, and receives a pin, e, extending up from the frame. Both levers are arranged in a slot, f, made in the frame. When the swell is closed down the knee-lever brings up against a stop or abutment, g, arranged as shown.

From the above it will be seen that the kneelever may be drawn out or adjusted to diflerent distances from the frame so as to adapt such levor to the position required by the player, who, by pressinglaterally against it with the knee or thigh, can move it laterally against the adjacent arm in order to move the latter and effect the raising of the swell, the latter being moved back or in the opposite direction by the elastic force of the ac tuating spring of the swell, exerted through the bar F and the bell-crank lever D.

One great advantage of my improvement is that it admits of the knee-lever being moved back within the case, whereby a smaller packin g-box will be required for the instrument than would be the case were the knee-lever to be permanently extended to the distance required to suit a person having short thighs or legs.

I claim The adjustable knee-lever G, as combined with and arranged in the case, and with the actuating lever E of the swell-operating mechanism, all substantially as described.

MICHAEL J KEBIGAN. 

